Recently I have found myself photographing some beautiful white swans while visiting Whites Mill Preserve. Because of how I'm wired, it got me thinking about swan songs as a final effort put out in the context of diets.

Fad diets sell the empty promise of helping you shed pounds "in just days." But did you know, some fad diets are really bad for your health, and can even have severely negative impacts on your body - the most extreme of which is death? It is, hands down, a very frightening thing to think that some companies are so irresponsible in the marketing of their fad diet craze that they ignore the real life impacts.

Plant-Smart Living has seen some tremendous growth in our community and online offerings. In 2016, we renovated our website and began to produce a large quantity of high quality content intended to entertain and promote better health. Consider this a little retrospective of some of the most popular articles from the past year!

CAN MILK CAUSE PROSTATE CANCER?

One of the biggest fears many men have is something happening to them that they would never expect. As uncomfortable as it may be for some to talk about, prostate cancer is relatively common - effecting 1 in 7 men in their lifetime. Most of these cases occur in men as they reach old age - almost ironically, just in time for the average person to retire. While some good news can be taken away from this given that prostate cancer is highly treatable - with an almost 100% survival rate in the Western world - it comes at quite a cost like all forms of cancer.

I was inspired by a recent comment on Facebook to explore ways in which a simple plant-based diet has evolved into a significant worldwide movement. While at it's core, a person's decision to adopt a plant-based diet is a personal one, and requires personal decisions to stick to daily despite temptations to waver - it has managed to become a shared experience for people who like the sense of community.

Going into the office can provide a number of temptations. Some days your boss might bring in donuts or other sugary snacks, or you might even get stuck trying to figure out how not to seem "weird" at a pizza party. We know it's all meant to be good-natured and fun, but it can be a real challenge for those trying to get their health under control.

If the food that is available doesn't seem like it would be compliant with your diet, it is sometimes best to come prepared. Below are 12 easy snacks that are McDougall Diet compliant - courtesy of the McDougall Friend's Facebook group.

If you have struggled with type 2 diabetes, and the unfortunate symptoms that often plague those with the condition, you have probably asked yourself over and over if it is possible to cure diabetes 2 at all. The short and sweet answer is: yes!

I find it fascinating how a plant-based diet can influence people around the world in different ways.

Late last year, I began chatting with Katie Simmons, "Chicago's Best Personal Chef," after stumbling across one of her excellent vegan recipes online and getting to know just by reading up on her background on her website - Plants-Rule.

Her story is a powerful one that has the ability to promote change - if you need some inspiration to make diet and lifestyle changes, seeing her own transition, loss of 50 pounds, and reclaiming her health is truly great. The "journey," as you will see, even comes with some scale not unlike the Lord of the Rings!